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Over one hundred staff at Sheffield Students' Union are calling for significant improvements to our terms and conditions.
For years, the Students' Union has said it wants to pay all staff the living wage, yet there are hundreds of us still being paid the minimum wage. We're also employed on zero hour contracts with no sick pay.
We've had enough. We're calling on our colleagues to join the union and get ready to take action to win the improvements we deserve - because we're #BetterThanZero.
Our demands
Our demands
💸 The Real Living Wage
💸 The Real Living Wage
Over four hundred staff in the SU are paid below the Real Living Wage. We're calling on the SU to meet its responsibility to pay its staff the Real Living Wage.
The Real Living Wage is currently £9.30 per hour and is designed to be a minimum standard for responsible employers. It is calculated as the minimum wage which full-time employees must earn to have a decent standard of living and fully participate in society.
🤒 Sick pay
🤒 Sick pay
Most casual staff in the Students’ Union are not able to claim any sick pay. All other staff, by contrast, are entitled to at least the first two months off sick at full pay and the next two at half pay. For the sake of our own health and the sake of our customers' health, we want to see full sick pay for all casual staff introduced immediately.
🌙 Higher pay for unsociable working
🌙 Higher pay for unsociable working
Currently, no adjustments are made for staff who work unsociable hours, nor is any compensation given. Over one hundred staff work unsociable hours on minimum wage.
We're calling on the SU to pay staff 30% extra for hours worked between 10pm and 6am.
📝 The right to a secure contract
📝 The right to a secure contract
The SU employs over five hundred staff on zero hour contracts, despite the fact that a majority of us would prefer more security.
We're calling on the SU to introduce a right to a secure contract, by writing into policy that all casual staff will be offered a secure contract after 9 months of employment.
Why?
Why?
We're underpaid...
We're underpaid...
“When I was studying it was an everyday struggle to figure out how many shifts I would need to work to be able to pay rent and eat.”
“When I was studying it was an everyday struggle to figure out how many shifts I would need to work to be able to pay rent and eat.”
... and exhausted
... and exhausted
“I might be able to pay for my bills at the end of the month but I’m continually exhausted and burnt out.”
“I might be able to pay for my bills at the end of the month but I’m continually exhausted and burnt out.”
We have to work when we're sick
We have to work when we're sick
“I once came into work even though I couldn’t sleep all night and I threw up all night. Unless I’m so sick I’m bed ridden, I tend to come in work because I can’t afford not doing my shifts.”
“I once came into work even though I couldn’t sleep all night and I threw up all night. Unless I’m so sick I’m bed ridden, I tend to come in work because I can’t afford not doing my shifts.”
“I once came in for a double shift with the flu. I ended up going home about 4 hours into the 10 hours because I fainted on shift.”
“I once came in for a double shift with the flu. I ended up going home about 4 hours into the 10 hours because I fainted on shift.”
We work unsociable hours with drunk customers for no extra pay
We work unsociable hours with drunk customers for no extra pay
“I barely make ends meet and sometimes I can’t get the hours. Working late nights is especially hard as I have a chronic sleeping condition, so my life is severely affected by this.”
“I barely make ends meet and sometimes I can’t get the hours. Working late nights is especially hard as I have a chronic sleeping condition, so my life is severely affected by this.”
“The last shift I worked, one customer spat on me, another customer bled on me, and one of my colleagues was harassed.”
“The last shift I worked, one customer spat on me, another customer bled on me, and one of my colleagues was harassed.”
And we don't know how much money we'll get from week to week
And we don't know how much money we'll get from week to week
“When full time I was constantly paranoid when finding out shifts and had to fight and work awful hours just to pay the rent.”
“When full time I was constantly paranoid when finding out shifts and had to fight and work awful hours just to pay the rent.”
“A colleague once offered me a loan when I was unexpectedly given only a single 4 hour shift. I'd reached the bottom of my overdraft despite living frugally, and was in a fit of financial desperation.”
“A colleague once offered me a loan when I was unexpectedly given only a single 4 hour shift. I'd reached the bottom of my overdraft despite living frugally, and was in a fit of financial desperation.”
Did you know?
Did you know?
All these improvements would cost less than the Vice Chancellor's salary.
All these improvements would cost less than the Vice Chancellor's salary.
The changes we are asking for would cost the SU roughly £230,000. The university's Vice Chancellor, Koen Lamberts, earns £285,000.
The changes we are asking for would cost the SU roughly £230,000. The university's Vice Chancellor, Koen Lamberts, earns £285,000.
Meanwhile, the average student working in Bar One earns roughly £4,500 in a year - meaning that in 6 days the Vice Chancellor earns more than the average student staff member in the SU earns in a whole year!
Meanwhile, the average student working in Bar One earns roughly £4,500 in a year - meaning that in 6 days the Vice Chancellor earns more than the average student staff member in the SU earns in a whole year!
Our survey results
Our survey results
Unite the Union surveyed one hundred casual staff in the SU about the improvements they would like to see.
Unite the Union surveyed one hundred casual staff in the SU about the improvements they would like to see.
agree that casual staff should be paid at least the real living wage
have struggled to pay for living costs. Only 18% have never struggled.
agree that casual staff should receive sick pay
have had to come into work when sick, or know anyone who has. Only 16% do not know anyone who has come into work sick.
The survey has shown that there is a clear need for better wages, full sick pay, compensation for unsociable working, and secure contracts for those who want them.
The survey has shown that there is a clear need for better wages, full sick pay, compensation for unsociable working, and secure contracts for those who want them.
As one casual staff member said: “The SU demands a lot from its casual workers; long hours, early mornings, late nights, and we get little in return.”
As one casual staff member said: “The SU demands a lot from its casual workers; long hours, early mornings, late nights, and we get little in return.”
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